LicensebyState

Moving to Idaho as a master plumber: every state's rule

Idaho has reciprocity agreements with 0 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: no credit.

Idaho master plumber · “Plumbing Contractor (Certificate of Competency)”

Statewide license

Verified September 16, 2026· 5 sources

Issued by Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (Idaho State Plumbing Board)

Idaho has no master plumber title. The level above journeyman is the Plumbing Contractor certificate of competency, which Idaho Code 54-2611 defines as a person ('any person, or a member, representative or agent of a firm') who has passed the contractor examination; the contractor application confirms 'a plumbing contractor may be licensed as an individual', so it is treated here as the master-equivalent credential. IDAPA 24.39.20.100.03 requires the applicant to hold an active Idaho Plumbing Journeyman certificate, pass the Board-designated contractor exam (60% business and law, 40% code and sizing, 75% to pass), and file a $2,000 compliance bond; the initial certificate fee is $147 for a three-year term. A contractor may represent only one business at a time. No out-of-state contractor or master license is reciprocated at this level: the form has no reciprocal application type and the Montana, Oregon and Washington agreements cover journeymen only.

Every origin state

No credit 50
Every state's path into Idaho
StateMechanismNoteVerified
AlabamaNo credit2026-09-16
AlaskaNo credit2026-09-16
ArizonaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
ArkansasNo credit2026-09-16
CaliforniaNo credit2026-09-16
ColoradoNo credit2026-09-16
ConnecticutNo credit2026-09-16
DelawareNo credit2026-09-16
District of ColumbiaNo credit2026-09-16
FloridaNo credit2026-09-16
GeorgiaNo credit2026-09-16
HawaiiNo credit2026-09-16
IllinoisNo credit2026-09-16
IndianaNo credit2026-09-16
IowaNo credit2026-09-16
KansasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
KentuckyNo credit2026-09-16
LouisianaNo credit2026-09-16
MaineNo credit2026-09-16
MarylandNo credit2026-09-16
MassachusettsNo credit2026-09-16
MichiganNo credit2026-09-16
MinnesotaNo credit2026-09-16
MississippiNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
MissouriNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
MontanaNo credit2026-09-16
NebraskaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
NevadaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
New HampshireNo credit2026-09-16
New JerseyNo credit2026-09-16
New MexicoNo credit2026-09-16
New YorkNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
North CarolinaNo credit2026-09-16
North DakotaNo credit2026-09-16
OhioNo credit2026-09-16
OklahomaNo credit2026-09-16
OregonNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
PennsylvaniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
Rhode IslandNo credit2026-09-16
South CarolinaNo credit2026-09-16
South DakotaNo credit2026-09-16
TennesseeNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
TexasNo credit2026-09-16
UtahNo credit2026-09-16
VermontNo credit2026-09-16
VirginiaNo credit2026-09-16
WashingtonNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
West VirginiaNo credit2026-09-16
WisconsinNo credit2026-09-16
WyomingNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16

Getting licensed in Idaho from scratch

No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how Idaho issues a master plumber license to a first-time applicant.

Verified September 23, 2026· 8 sources

Plumbing Contractor certificate of competency by examination

Idaho has no master plumber license; the level above journeyman is the Plumbing Contractor certificate of competency, which is issued to an individual who may then represent one business. The applicant must hold an active Idaho Plumbing Journeyman certificate, file the Plumbing Contractor Application with the $22.50 processing fee, and pass the Idaho Plumbing Contractor exam through PSI, which combines business and law questions with plumbing code and sizing questions. After passing, the applicant files proof of a $2,000 surety bond and pays the $147 certificate fee. The rules set no experience requirement beyond holding the journeyman certificate.

The exam has 100 questions and a 4-hour limit: 60 from the DOPL Contractors' Business and Law Reference Manual, 32 from the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code and 8 plumbing sizing problems. Candidates bring the Reference Manual printed and in a three-ring binder, plus the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code or 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code; writing in the references during the exam is not allowed. The application expires one year after it is filed if the exam has not been passed. A contractor may represent only one person or business at a time and must notify DOPL in writing if that changes; a contractor who does plumbing work in person must also be a qualified journeyman or employ one on every job. Holders of this certificate do not need a separate DOPL contractor registration for plumbing work. Appliance and water pump specialty contractor certificates are separate credentials.

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Required
Exam given by
PSI
Exam format
Open book
Passing score
75%
Renewal
Every 3 years
Continuing education
None required

Who can apply

  • Hold a Active Idaho Plumbing Journeyman certificate of competency first.No minimum number of years as a journeyman is required.

Steps to get licensed

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($22.50). Nonrefundable processing fee paid with the Plumbing Contractor Application; exam information follows approval of the application.
  2. 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($75). PSI examination fee, paid per attempt when scheduling; nonrefundable and valid one year from payment.
  3. 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Code and sizing portion of the Idaho Plumbing Contractor exam (PSI): 32 questions on the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code and 8 plumbing sizing problems, open book; the whole exam is 100 questions in 4 hours with 75 percent to pass.
  4. 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Business and law portion of the same exam: 60 questions drawn from the DOPL Contractors' Business and Law Reference Manual, open book.
  5. 5Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($2,000). $2,000 surety (compliance) bond, filed after passing the exam and kept in force for the whole certificate period.
  6. 6License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($147). Initial Plumbing Contractor certificate fee for a three-year term, paid before the certificate is issued.

Published fees on this path total $244.50, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

Keeping it active

Every 3 years with no continuing education required and a $108 renewal fee.

The Plumbing Board has set no continuing-education requirement for plumbing.

Certificates run three years from the date of issue and may be renewed during the month before they expire. Proof that the $2,000 compliance bond has been renewed is required to renew. A contractor who is not contracting in Idaho may renew on an inactive basis.

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

  • Trade exam
  • Law / code exam

Surety bond

A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.

  • Surety bond · $2,000

Sources for this section

  1. Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 26 - Plumbing and Plumbers · Idaho Code 54-2610, 54-2611, 54-2614, 54-2616, 54-2617 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  2. Idaho Code 54-5205 - Contractor Registration: Exemptions from Registration · Idaho Code 54-5205(1) · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  3. Idaho State Plumbing Board - Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  4. Idaho State Plumbing Board - Program Information and Exams · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  5. Idaho State Plumbing Board - Frequently Asked Questions · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Faq · verified September 23, 2026
  6. IDAPA 24.39.20 - Rules Governing Plumbing · IDAPA 24.39.20.100 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  7. Idaho Plumbing Contractor Application and Instructions (revised July 1, 2023) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  8. PSI Candidate Information Bulletin - Idaho DOPL Contractor, Plumbing, HVAC and Electrical Examinations (effective December 10, 2025) · PSI Services for Idaho DOPL · Form · verified September 23, 2026

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